A TEENAGER who admitted his role in an “appalling” attack on a homeless man in Limerick City was remanded on bail because no beds were available at Obertstown Children’s Detention Campus, a court heard.
The teen, who was 15 at the time of the attack, admitted to being part of a three-man gang that kicked and punched the victim 109 times, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard.
The defendant, now 17, who cannot be identified because of reporting restrictions imposed in the case, appeared before the court on a signed plea to one count of engaging in violent disorder, at Wickham Street in Limerick City at around 5am on May 8, 2022.
The court heard a member of the public alerted Gardaí about the attack on the victim, Declan Quinlivan, of no fixed abode, who was then aged 39.
Whení arrived on the scene, the three-man gang were standing with a woman around Mr Quinlivan who had “blood pouring from his forehead”.
The three, including the defendant, appeared to be making gestures and threats towards him before they all ran from Gardaí, it was heard.
Gardaí gave chase and apprehended the defendant and an older man.
A third youth, Aaron Holland, then aged 17, of Marian Road, Templemore, County Tipperary, who escaped at the time, was arrested by Gardaí five months later.
Mr Holland (19), received a fully suspended two-year sentence last June after he pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder.
Gardaí harvested CCTV footage of the attack and, after his arrest, the defendant identified himself on the footage.
Gardaí counted 109 individual kicks and punches to Mr Quinlivan’s head and body over a sustained four-minute attack captured in the footage as he pleaded for the three men to stop.
“Take what ye want lads, but please, stop beating me, I beg ye,” Mr Quinlivan was heard saying in the footage.
At one point during the sustained attack, the three men paused their attack and hid in the shadows momentarily as a taxi drove past the dawn scene.
When they returned moments later, the defendant demanded Mr Quinlivan’s phone and its passcode.
When Gardaí showed the footage to the defendant, he admitted kicking Mr Quinlivan 36 times and punching him 13 times.
The defendant is also heard on the footage discovering cigarettes on Mr Quinlivan’s person after searching him.
John O’Sullivan, prosecuting counsel, told the court “the behaviour of the three accused was feral”.
“All three perpetrators were acting in a common design and actively participating in a violent attack on a defenceless person,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
The defendant was arrested by Gardaí after he attended Roxboro Road Garda Station by appointment on October 12, 2022, accompanied by his mother.
The court heard he initially claimed he got into a fight with the victim because the victim had engaged a 14-year-old female in an inappropriate conversation – however Gardaí confirmed there was no evidence whatsoever to support this.
After seeing the footage, the defendant accepted he and others had put the victim “in fear” and hit him over 100 times during the unprovoked attack.
“It was an unprovoked and feral attack on a defenceless person,” Mr O’Sullivan reiterated.
The court heard Gardaí were hampered in pursuing other charges against the defendant and co-accused due to a “lack of cooperation” from Mr Quinlivan.
The defendant’s barrister, Yvonne Quinn, told the court that the attack was “appalling”.
Ms Quinn said the youth was intoxicated at the time and “is ashamed”.
Appealing to the court for leniency, Ms Quinn offered that the defendant has “no previous convictions” and “he hugely regrets his wrongdoing”.
Ms Quinn told the court the defendant acknowledges that “he has to suffer the consequences of his actions”.
Judge Daly adjourned sentencing to November 4.
